The Shroud
by Lung Mua
Summary: A young woman named Guinevere (drowshadow demon) is sucked into an adventure with her friends by her demon father and other unexplained powers. This is the prolog and fist two chapters enjoy 8D
1. Default Chapter

**Prolog**

I'm not perverted, I just plan when I'm going to act perverted

—A Friend

The city was damp and dingy. The sky was dark with storm clouds and the air was soaking wet. Gabriel's knife was still damp with Demon blood. He had already killed three that night and was getting tiered. He need a new shirt and shield. Both had been destroyed by the Kyton he had just killed and his left arm was wounded badly. Gabriel had used his tattered shirt to wrap his wound. But it was dripping with blood. After walking the city streets he finally reached his apartment. He slipped inside silently out of habit. He replaced his demon bane dagger and half empty bottle of knock out poison. Throwing his jacket on the chair he rewrapped his arm and flopped down on the bed.

"Oww! Hay! Watch were you flop down sexy."

"O sorry Jess, didn't see you there."

"Right . . . I'm sure, so how was your night?"

"Um good, I so tired though three in one night, their getting more numerous."

"Too tired to play a little Riel?"

"Off course not I can always have some fun with you, you know that."

Gabriel slid his hand up onto Jessica's breast and kissed her. She kissed him back and he squeezed and kissed her stomach. Giggling Jess rolled over on top of Gabriel's waist and pushed her self up. Jessica took Gabriel's hand and brought it to her chest than with her other hand she stroked his hair, "I think we should have a child Riel." She whispered in an alluring voice. Laying on top of him, and rubbing his neck, "what do you think?"

"Well I think," Gabriel said kissing Jessica, "I think . . ." stopping mid sentence Gabriel shot upright and went rigid; he put his hand over Jessica's mouth.

"Shh...Don't speak, don't breath, some one is in our apartment." Silently Gabriel got up and grabbed a long curved knife and some knock out poison. He slid it over the knife and slipped into the main room. His dark vision swept the room but Gabriel didn't see anything. He slipped around the room and into the cooking area, still nothing. He picked up a wood bowl and through it into the main room. It clanged against the floor and suddenly was shredded. Demon Gabriel thought Damn it why here, how in the nine hells do they know where I live. He lifted his knife to his left shoulder and slipped towards the shadowy figure. Leaping he brought his knife down perfectly and hit nothing but air. Shocked Gabriel spun around. He was a second to late. A frying pan smashed into the side of his head. Falling over Gabriel hit the floor, out cold. When Gabriel awoke his head was spinning and he heard crying coming from the bedroom.

"Riel!! Help!! Pleeaasse!"

Still feeling woozy what happened before hit Gabriel like the frying pan he groped around and found his demon ban knife, mumbling under his breath Gabriel dashed into the bedroom, the sight he saw made his blood freeze, a shadow demon was raping Jessica. In a fit of rage Gabriel leapt into the air bringing his knife above his head and slamming it into the head of the demon. it slumped forward and Gabriel through the demon across the room and smashed into it many time with his knife coating his silver Drow hair is dark purple blood.

"Riel please stop its dead"

"Damn it Jess I can't not after ... o that fucker curse the fucking gods!!"

"Riel don't say that I'm not hurt just well disgusted with my own existence..."

"What Jess it's not your fault if anything it mine.''

"No Riel it's not your fault"

"Look lets not fight lets sleep we can take care of the body after we sleep."

"Ok, ok fine Riel"

:::::Nine months later:::::

"Are you still sure you want to have this child Jess, it's still not too late to change your mind."

"We've had this conversation many times were keeping the child no matter what happens and we will love it no matter what"

"I know Jess I know"

"Hay Riel how about we go for a walk?"

"Sure Jess anything you want"

As Jess and Gabriel walk through the city the sun is shining and the birds are singing. Suddenly Jessica falls into labor as they were walking down the ally to there apartment.

"...it hurts so much"

"I know honey hang on"

After about an hour of lying against the wall Jess' enlarged belly started to glow black.

"It hurts so much more than before"

Hours later the glowing got more devoid of light and the pain grew in jess' eyes

"Riel...I don't know how much linger I can hold on the pain is so great I really...can't go on, I'm really sorry but...I just...I just uhh!"

"No Jess please don't go no damn it no" as Gabriel griped Jessica in her last moments of life Jessica's stomach split down the center and a black sphere a few feet in diameter floating a foot above her body the sphere began to shimmer. Gabriel looked up from Jessica's body at the sphere and moved his hand towards it. Pushing both of his hands into the sphere he pulled from it a small infant Drow with jet black skin and charcoal hair, eye's the colour of blood and pointy nails. Clutching the small child Gabriel took Jessica's body and brought it back into the house. "You are one cursed child and I am going to teach you to kill demons with a passion, you will be Guinevere, bane of all Demon lords, May Jess bless you for ever Gwen"

:::::nine years later:::::

"Don't move and keep you eye on the target, now draw the target two you, take aim and...Fire" Gabriel whispered in Guinevere ear. She did as she was taught and told, holding her bow she aimed at the babau standing over his next victim, drawing the bowstring back to behind her ear aiming between he eyes she loosed the arrow. As it flew through the air Guinevere's mind followed the arrow directing it to its mark, with a sickening crack the arrow went into the demon's skull all the way down to the feathers. The point sticking out of the back of its head dripped green blood as it slumped over the woman's bed.

"HOLY SHIT!!! GET THIS FUCKING THING OFF ME!!" as she screamed the woman was groping at the air trying to grab something to pull her self out.

"Stop moving and clam down" Gabriel said as he walked towards the babau body. Bending down he started to lift the body of the woman.

"No STOP! What the fuck are you things!" the woman yelled at Gabriel.

"Why we're the people who saved you ass, you have no problem with Drow do you?" cool as day Gabriel spoke putting emphasis on the Drow.

"The people, you mean creatures, and who saved me bahhh! That . . . that thing was probably yours just so you . . . you could look like the heroes then rape me, BITCH!!" The woman spat in Gabriel's face

"Do Not, disgrace my father again you pompous shit of Loth, or I will be forced to put an arrow in between your eyes faster than Cuthbert can smite me." Guinevere said walking out of the shadows wielding her bow. From the base hung twelve dried demon and devil thumbs. An arrow was knocked and Guinevere started to pull it back towards her ear as she spoke. "Each thumb hanging from my bow is a demon or devil I have killed I have no problem putting this arrow through your skull."

Finally pushing the demon body off her self she grabbed a blanket to cover her nude body "look stop her, she is crazy please stop her! Damn it Stop Her PLEASE!!

"So . . . Now you want me to stop her do you." Gabriel said flipping his knife in the air. Guinevere moved closer to the woman placing the arrow tip right at the top of her nose. A small trickle of blood moved down the side of the woman's nose and onto her lip where it pooled slightly and continued down her face and dripped onto her chest. Holding her bow steady Guinevere bent down and licked the blood of the woman's chin then, kissed the side of her lips. The woman was trembling, you could see the fear building in her green eyes, then her eyes rolled back into her head and she slumped back onto her pillow.

"Glad to see you still dip you arrows in our poison Gwen now first how long will she be out?"

"Well about ten minuets, right?"

"Right, and why the fu . . . in the nine hells did you think to lick that woman's face!" Gabriel said sternly

"Well . . . you see . . . I, um well"

"I'm waiting" again sternly tapping his foot

"It was the succubae we saw a week ago, they were doing it with the human's blood, and it . . . well looked fun, that's all."

"You are a nine year old girl I will not stand for your actions or langue, you are not to mimic demons from now on understood?!"

"Yes sir"

"Good, now then lets get out of here before little bitch wakes up"

"daddy now you are going back on what you told me" giggling she took out her knife and sliced off the thumb on the demos left hand, then taking a strip of leather from her neck she tied the thumb on her bow and slipped into the shadows with her father.

:::::three years latter:::::

"Don't move." Guinevere hissed arrow knocked and pulled behind her ear. The demon thumbs had gotten so numerous on her bow she had begun strapping them to her knife handle, then to her necklace, and finally to her pack.

"Ah, Guinevere, have you been well?" the dark said, turning around to face her.

"I said don't move or I will put this arrow through the back of your neck, understood"

"My, my we are defensive, so I gather you think I am going to kill this human youth, or rape him or something, no?"

"Um well yes but no, who the fuck are you?!"

"Ahh there we are you have hit the million dollar question I am Margaret."

"Margaret who?"

"um I don't really know but I have come to take you away" as Margaret spoke she turned and faced Guinevere, her blood red eyes pierced into Guinevere, and Guinevere loosed the arrow and it flew directly into Margaret's right eye calmly she removed the arrow and as her eye grew back Margaret snapped the arrow between her fingers and calmly spoke "now I must go you see you have wasted my time, some one else will come for you in three days."

"Hay dad about six hours ago a well . . . Drow woman named Margaret came and she, she said she was here to take me away, and well I shot an arrow directly into her eye but she . . . well she, pulled it out and left" Guinevere was trembling as she said this.

"Gwen, Gwen, you don't have to worry about Margaret she is, well a special person, and an immortal, the story is too long to tell." as Gabriel spoke he hugged Guinevere close "I'm not really sure what she meant by taking you so always be armed ok?"

"Yes" Gabriel sat with Guinevere in his arms and rocked her back and forth until she calmed down form visiting Margaret and started to fall asleep. Laying her down he pulled a blanket over her and went out for his demon hunting rounds.

It's a Monday and it's a raining, Guinevere hated Mondays but the rain was a nice change. She was searching the city for demonic activity but there was none. The day was dull and Guinevere was tired she found a mainly dry alley and sat down her new demon bane kukri in hand she started to doze off.

Guinevere awoke suddenly to the sound of moving feat coming from in front of her, the problem was there was nothing but her in the alley. standing up quickly Guinevere took a fighting stance and drew her bone dagger, "who's there?" there was total silence and Guinevere started to back further into the alley, there was a mumbling that Gwen couldn't understand and the air twelve feet inform of her started to shimmer, an area of bent light about one foot long and three inches thick came flying right at her. She ran but could shake the aberration and it hit her in the back of the head, Gwen fell over face first in the dirt.

"Easer than I thought it would be" the air said as it shimmered and began to form into a tall and lean tiger humanoid. He sported loose fitting robes, a large curved sword on his left hip and a fiddle on back. Two stones orbited his head and an imp sat on his shoulder. "Well I guess its time to be taking this girl back to the school."

"Well we could get a drink and come back for her" The imp on Minico's back said.

"Nope we got a job to do and we have no time for fun, sorry."

"Your right cause you guna have to deal with me demon bitches eat this!" Guinevere screamed as she shot up and slammed her kukri into Minico's left knee. He went down with a yelp and his imp took to the air. Guinevere slammed her foot into Minico's nose to confuse him and before he could react and slammed her knife into his other knee. Tearing it out at a weird angel she leaped black and looked down over Minico. He was clutching he two useless knees to his chest and cursing Guinevere. "well, well, well looks like you failed to catch me you demon fool, now I'm guna kill you and take you left thumb how do you like that?" as she spoke Guinevere she started to move towards Minico's head to slit his throat and the imp slammed into her back spilling her over Minico and falling into the pool of blood at his feat she recovered quickly and looked around for the imp but couldn't see him. Disregarding Minico she reached on her back for her bow but it was gone, panic started to over take Guinevere and she reached for her kukri but that too was gone suddenly out of no wear the imp slammed into Guinevere and knocked her over again. She hit her head hart on the ground and the pain started to awaken her mind. She got up and searched the sky franticly for the imp. And when she couldn't see him she started too moved around quickly. Again with out warning the imp appeared in front of her and he slammed his tail into her shoulder then disappeared again. Guinevere reached down and picked up a piece of wood and backed against the nearest wall, as she waited for the imp to appear again she looked over at Minico and he was still clutching his knees, this time as the imp reappeared she started to swing the piece off wood at it, as it slammed into the imp she screamed and fell to the ground clutching her chest as the imps poison took effect. The pain was so intense she keeled over and threw up. Her body was trembling and she was moaning in pain. The imp landed in fort of Guinevere and started to laugh and point.

"You are one stupid girl, and now I think I'm going to kill you just for fun instead of bring you in." the imp said and started to giggle.

Guinevere struggled through the pain and looked up at the imp, his ugly demon face rain through Guinevere's mind and stated to awaken something deep in her subconscious. She began to shake again and she stated to push her self up.

"So are we trying to fight my enhanced poison because if you are you're going to fail. And die and I will get to eat your flesh." The Imp said mockingly.

Guinevere held herself up on her right hand and slammed her fist with all her weight behind it into the imp. He went flying and Guinevere rolled over and finally gained footing. As she rose she noticed Minico's right knee was healed and his left knee was glowing, as Guinevere started to shrug off the rest of the pain she moved towards Minico to attack him again and disable him when she felt a sharp pain on her left shoulder and she turned her head into the imp and she slammed her hand into the creature and it sprawled onto the ground. Then the pain returned and Guinevere screamed as she slumped down and clutched her stomach as the pain moved over her in waves. This time it was so great all her muscles tightened and her subconscious started to take over. Guinevere let her sanity and mind go and she started to stand up, her hands tightened and half corporeal nails, long and sharp as knifes grew from her finger tips. Her eyes started glowing blood red and she leaped in a primal furry at the imp it took to the air but Guinevere managed to clip his leg tearing to off.

"Don't move!" Minico said in a very stern voice. His hand was clutching a small rod of glass was glowing a sick blue. "I would hate to blow a hole in you stomach but I will."

"Sure you would hate to do demon scum!!" she screamed and leaped at Minico flailing her clawed hands. He loosed his magick lightning bolt right at Guinevere's face. It flew through the air with a sickening crack it hit Guinevere's hands and deflected into the wall. With a final scream she slammed all ten of her claw into his chest. Minico grunted with the force and slammed his fists into Guinevere's chest. She flew off and into the far wall. Minico clutched his hands to his chest and his wounds began to heal. Guinevere stood up and faced Minico.

"You going to like my next trick, trust me" Guinevere said and winked at Minico. Guinevere leaned over and her shirt started to rip. It fell to her feat and a pair of huge shadowy wings emerged from her back. Guinevere took to the sky and lunged right at the imp. Grabbing the scared creature out of the sky, she shredded him and dove for Minico. He raised his hand and leaped into Guinevere's dive yelling his holy smite and attack spell. They met about ten feet above the ground with a sickening crack and Guinevere crumpled in midair and fell to the ground. Minico landed on his feat, turned around, and touched his hand to Guinevere's forehead, her eyes rolled back into her head and her breathing became slowed.

"Oh, thank you Pelor, and Cuthbert, Heironeous, Kord, Wee Jass, and all others that helped me, thank you so much. This little girl took way too much to collect, I better get paid well for this." Minico mumbled to himself.

Pointing his bow at Minico's head "what have you done to my daughter you demon bitch?!"

"Ok look to start I'm not a demon I'm a Rakshasa and I have come to collect her."

"Collect her? Why?"

Sighing Minico turned to face Gabriel "look I know you love your daughter but she is too powerful for you to raise. She will be taken to the school for a psychoanalysis, sanity, strength, and intelligence evaluations, along with magick compatibility, and psionic compatibility. Finally she will be checked for fight skill and style. Any questions?"

"Yes, two, first who decided this and second who is paying you to take my daughter? Bitch." Gabriel snarled.

"now that's tough to say because many people give to the school, um the last donor was Margaret she gave them about 500,000,000 platinum pieces, um helped build a new woman's bath and dorm, and gave us an orb of greater defense to ward demons and such from entering the school. But I guess it's the head master that's playing me to collect your daughter. If it's really that hard you're your simple mind to comprehend then you can come with me and speak with it if you wish."

"What if I don't trust you" Gabriel snarled. "I should kill you right now, put an arrow through your head and relish in my and my daughters freedom."

"Hmmm, true but then you would be nothing but that which you loath entirely." As he spoke he moved his hands towards Gabriel's chest, mumbling under his breath he slammed his palms into Gabriel's chest forcing the man backwards. Then he spoke the last of the magick and two rays of ice blue light shot forth from Minico's hands striking him in the chest and crumpling the man onto the ground. "That was enfeeblement spell you won't be able to get up for a couple of hours I have drained you of your strength. I hope you aren't too mad you can take my calling card if you wish but I am taking your daughter." Minico said. Smiling he put a small crystal next to Gabriel's had and turned to pick up Guinevere, however as he eye's scanned the ally he could not find her. "Shit I've lost the bitch again" Minico said to him self.

"Believe me you haven't lost me yet you fucking demon bitch!" Guinevere screamed from the shadows. Leaping out of the shadows into the air her wings stretched into their full glory and blocked almost light into the ally.

"You think that's going to scare me you cocky fool, you haven't scene half of what I can do."

"So you are as cocky as I thought, you haven't even see me tap my ancestral power well." She snarled and dove down towards Minico's head, he dodged easily and slipped his hand into his side pouch and pulled out a small glass cylinder and a long white feather. "I would hate to have to blast you with more of my magick." He said calmly.

"No you wouldn't you're a demon you would relish in my pain you freak of existence come on blast me."

Minico stood and took aim at Guinevere "come on we have both spent a lot of time fighting and I have to say you had me bested for a while but I would hate to bring you to the brink of death just to collect you."

"O I see how it is" Guinevere said in response, "You're out of power and you want me to give up so you can live, well reality check you started thins and I'm guna rip you to sheds and consume you soul." She giggled and her ethereal claws came out of her hands again, and she stared down Minico.

"you will thank me for this in the future," Minico said he shook his head and the small glass cylinder and feather started to glow and electric blue, suddenly a bolt of lightning shot forth from Minico's hands and struck Guinevere in the chest. The electricity spiraled around her and dissipated with out scratch Guinevere.

"That's the best you could do? Pathetic." She leaped at Minico and slashed, he side stepped again and Guinevere lashed out with her wing sending Minico flying into the wall, he landed with a thump. Minico rolled over and coughed up blood. He pushed him self up.

"That really hurt you little fool, you're making this much more difficult for your self and me.

"Like I care" she snarled and giggled maniacally. Then she waked over to Minico.

"You're getting cocky" he said and through a small glowing pellet of bat guano and sulfur, it hit the far wall and exploded into a torrent of flames, the surrounded Guinevere and rolled of her back like water off a duck.

"Your magic is useless against me you fool; you should have figured that out by now. However your insolence will coast you greatly." She reached down and lifted Minico with abnormal strength, then flung him against the far wall. He rolled over on to his back and clutched his left arm.

"What are you gaining by harming me?" Minico asked through gasps of pain.

"Revenge, for your pathetic attempt to take me away from my father. You are the most foolish man I will relish in your finally death and bathing in your blood." She snarled. Guinevere reached down trusting her non dominant hand into Minico's hand as far as possible. Then she lifted him up into the air and took her free hand and started to scratch at his collar bone and neck.

"You know don't you?" Minico asked.

"What!" Guinevere snapped back.

"Well only. . .ughh, only that you are becoming what you hate." Minico gasped through the excruciating pain of having one of his lungs collapse and the sternum snap under the force of Guinevere's grip.

"I'm not damn it FUCK YOU I'M NOT!!" Guinevere screamed and flung Minico to the other side of the ally. "NO!!!" she screamed and collapsed into a fetal position on the ground "no. . .no. . .no. . .no. . ." she mumbled to her self.

Minico put his hands onto his chest and through gasps of pain he began to heal his wounds. After about ten minuets he stood up and steadied himself against the wall. He slipped his hand into his sleeve and pulled out a small black circle. He shook it once violently and it became larger then he pulled a very long moss green silk sash. Minico replaced the hole to his coat, then he walked over to Guinevere. She had lain down by then and was crying silently to her self.

"Hay Guinevere are you alright?" Minico asked in a soothing voice

". . . Go away" she mumbled.

"Hay Gwen I didn't mean to hurt you so much I was just doing my job."

"What? Making my life worse than Battor." She said sitting up.

"No, no, I was just coming to bring you to the school so you can learn not to fly into that rage again and hone your skills into the perfect agent of good. I had no intent of hurting you or making you so angry." As he spoke he placed his hands on Guinevere's cheeks, looking in her eyes he spoke again. "you have to trust me you are a beautiful young woman and I had no intention of harming you."

"what if I don't believe you?" she asked in a small voice.

"well I would give you this silk to cover you naked breasts then probably knock you out and take you to the school. If you are willing then I'll still give you the silk but you can say good by and we will leave in a few days." He smiled as he spoke and pushed the silk sheet towards Guinevere.

"oh. . ." she snatched the silk from Minico and turned around quickly. She began to wrap try to wrap herself in the silk, but she couldn't seem to complete the task. After a few minuets of trying Minico put his hand on hers and spoke

"want some help?"

"um, well, yha I guess if you don't mind" she responded with a slight stutter.

"I'm guna need you to turn around" Minico said frankly.

"O well in that case I think I can do it my self" she stuttered again.

"Look you don't have to be embarrassed I have already seen you topless let me just help you and expedite the process." He said calmly

"Well, um ok" Guinevere said in a small voice. She turned around slowly covering her self with the silk.

"I need you to hand me the silk."

"Oh sorry" she looked around rapidly.

"Lift your arms" Guinevere did and Minico proceeded to wrap he upper body in the silk cloth. As he did he hid coins and little charms in the folds of the cloth. Finally he cleaned and hid her kukri with nothing but the handle showing a few inches under her right breast.

"The, thank you" she whispered, she leaned forward into Minico and hugged him "thanks for everything". He kissed her on the head and released her from the hug.

"Let's go help your father ok Guinevere?" she nodded in response and they walked to the opening of the ally.


	2. Chapter 1

**Chapter one**

Shoot first, ask questions later. If they answer, shoot again

—a friend

Guinevere sat under her linen sheet staring at the ceiling there was a small breeze coming in through the open window and Guinevere couldn't get to sleep. She got up and slipped into her silk robe and walked out onto the balcony of the girls' dorm. She looked out on edge of the plane and the rainbow shimmer that separated them from the darkness of nothingness. Guinevere was worried about her Draconic test the next day and not getting any sleep wasn't helping. She decided to go through some attack sequences to burn off her extra energy. Guinevere returned to her room, she replaced her robe on the rack and lifted her sleeping pad up removed the lose floor board. Underneath was a short bow draped in demon and devil thumbs, three vials of knock out poison and an aqua obsidian kukri with an intricately crafted mahogany handle that had been gilded with swirls or gold and platinum. She reached in and carefully removed the kukri. Placing it in her cloth thong she replaced her mat and walled silently back to the balcony. Guinevere closed her eyes and a set of lightless black wings sprung forth from her shoulder blades. She looked down at the ground some thirty feet below with out a second thought she leaped off the balcony and glided onto the ground. When she landed her winds dissipated into the night and she began to walk to the training grounds. Guinevere walked through the garden and around the lake, as she neared the training grounds she the clashing of metal and heavy breathing. Guinevere closed her eyes and the shadows engulfed her she opened her eyes and walked silently to the edge of training ring.

Inside the wring was a female figure cloaked in full samurai armor. She was wielding a curved katana and kukri. On the other side of the ring was a Minotaur wielding a huge great sword and a tower shield. It was bleeding from a large gash on its left arm and it was supporting it self on its sword tip. Guinevere watched as the woman moved into an extremely complex attack stance and beckon to Minotaur with her kukri. It snorted and charged with its' sword above its head. The woman didn't flinch instead she took one step forward and started to fade, and then she ran at the Minotaur. Right as the Minotaur's sword should have contacted with the samurai's head she leaped through the sword and she slashed the creatures left horn off, then she threw her kukri into its left shoulder. To complete the action the samurai grabbed the horn and landed about five feet behind the Minotaur. Guinevere was awed.

"You are one foolish creature to even think you could make me break a sweat." The samurai scoffed and shook the horn at the Minotaur.

"Grash anaga oot, oot nitoco diai!!" it snarled in anger. He dropped his sword and shield, lowered his head and started to paw the ground.

"You can even use common can you? You are stupid come on you fool come after me I dare you. Can you look death straight in the eyes and not flinch you feral cow?" The samurai said calmly.

"I can it just horrid speech. Now diai ready oot self death!" it screamed and charged. The samurai ran at the Minotaur and leaped over its charge with ease, then turned and a dime and charged at the back of the minotaur, using her pent up momentum the samurai leaped again and smashed the horn into its neck. In a finally spasm of death the Minotaur spun around. The action caught the samurai by surprise and she got the Minotaur's right horn stuck in her right shoulder. Pined against the ground and with out her right arm she tried to no avail to lift the bulky creature off her person.

Guinevere watched the fight in awe of the samurai's skills and watch as she was pinned against the ground. She stood staring at the helpless samurai for about three minutes. Finally she ran out of the shadows and dropped her shadow cloak and dropped to her knees next to the samurai's head.

"Are you ok?" Guinevere asked sheepishly.

"Yes I'm . . . uhhh . . . ok maybe I'm not, could you help me with this thing?" the woman said through a gasp of pain.

"Um sure let me see if I can lift it." Guinevere got up and moved to the other side of the Minotaur.

"You wont be able to lift it trust me."

"Just let me try." Guinevere closed her eyes and grasped the Minotaur. It became to shimmer black and a swirling mass appeared above it. The mass expanded engulfing the Minotaur. As the darkness swirled around the Minotaur and it began to melt into the shadows. After a few minuets of melting all of the Minotaur was gone except the horn in the samurai's shoulder.

"How, how did you . . . uhhh . . . do that?" the samurai clutched her shoulder as she spoke.

"Um, well you see, I can't really tell you. Here just let me finish fixing your shoulder I'm usually good at these kinds of things." Guinevere bent down and started to remove the samurai's broken armor. "I'm Guinevere but I'm called Gwen."

"Oh I'm Ariel and you can just cut the bindings this is my practice suite." Ariel said through gritted teeth.

"Oh ok" Guinevere drew her Kukri and cut the bindings with ease, then she removed the armor, finally she replaced her kukri in her thong. "Do you have any extra cloth I can use?" she asked looking around for a large leaf. With out her armor on Ariel was a stunning Elvin youth. She was lean and well built. Her hair was dirty blond and came down to her waist even though it was in a tight French braid. She wore a lose linen shirt and a pair of tight cotton pants.

"Will my shirt do?" Ariel asked.

"Probably do you mind?" Guinevere asked gesturing to Ariel's shirt.

"You don't seem to mind and I would rather . . . uhhh . . . would rather let you see me half nude than die."

The comment went straight over Guinevere's head and she ripped Ariel's shirt off. Placing her had on Ariel's chest next to the horn she griped the horn just above Ariel's skin and started to pull. Ariel bit hard on a piece of armor to keep from screaming, and Guinevere continued to pull. Finally the horn came out.

"Keep biting I'm going to need to dig through the wound a little to find the bits of armor, your luckily it didn't hit your lung." Guinevere closed her eyes and little tendrils of shadow stuff came from her hands. The phased into the wound and started to probe. After about one minuet they found the small piece and pulled it from the wound, finally the tendrils began to heal the top of the skin in order to stop the bleeding. As the wound was closing Ariel passed out because of the pain and Guinevere began to feel woozy from the exertion. She was not used to working that hard with her shadow abilities. Finally as she finished she placed a few herbs and began to wrap the shoulder. As she neared completion Ariel regained consciousness and started to try to sit up. "Wait stay down." Guinevere said.

"The pain is almost gone what, what did you do?" Ariel asked astonished.

"Just what I said I would, you wound is healed on the surface and the bone is reconnected but it will take some time to heal the rest of the way." Guinevere said, she sat back on her heals. She was looking down and playing with the grass.

"Hay what are you embarrassed about you just saved my life, look up." Ariel said sitting up and taking Guinevere's chin. "How long have you been at the Academy Gwen?"

"Well this is my second year but I'm a third year student." She pulled her head away and stood up. "I'm far ahead every one who's my age in blade work and in archery. Its really bad though almost no one likes me because of it."

"Hay its ok don't worry you'll find someone to hang with I'm sure. So do you usually come out here half naked for a walk or was this a special occasion?"

"Hmmm, oh no I don't usually come out here half naked." As Guinevere spoke these words the truth of the matter hit her and she turned around quickly. "I'm really sorry, I wasn't paying attention and I forgot, usually I don't do those kinds of things."

"Its ok I didn't mind before and I don't mind now, it's not like I'm a guy or anything" Ariel said.

"I guess but still its embarrassing" as Guinevere spoke she closed her eye's and shadow stuff began to surround her. It fully covered her like a jump suite. She turned around and sat down next to Ariel. "So do you usually come out here to fight random creatures?"

"No that was a challenge, it challenged me last time I went off campus and it decided to fight my here."

"Oh I see how do you get off campus its not allowed?"

"Well if you walk right off the edge of the plain then you end up on the astral plane, from there you can go almost any where, the only other way I can think of is going through the shadows."

"I might be able to do that, I've never tried though."

"Well with practice you may be able to we should probably get back to our rooms."

"Yah we should, hay do you know Draconic?"

"Not very well why you have a test soon or something?"

"Yep I got one this morning third period and I'm too worried to sleep."

"Well do you want to spar for a little wile? We still have like six hours to the awakening light."

"I guess but you should be careful with your shoulder you have a pretty deep wound."  
"Don't worry I've had worse and still fought"

"ok if you're sure I guess we could spar for a wile, I only brought my kukri, I was planning on summoning sum shadow creatures to fight, maybe we could do that?"

"sure its your choice."

"ok" Guinevere walked over to the ring and closed her eyes. She began to chant and a portal opened in the middle of the ring. After about one minuet three large black dogs leaped out of the portal and it closed.

"Nice job three shadow mastiffs. Let's do this"  
"you got it." Guinevere drew her Kukri and started to circle the shadow mastiffs. Ariel picked up her katana and circled opposite Guinevere. As they circled the Shadow mastiffs moved into a triangle position. The first leaped and Guinevere, she side stepped and slashed at the animal hitting its leg. The second shadow mastiff leaped at Ariel, she stood and meat its attack with her katana she slashed up. She caught the shadow mastiff right under the sternum and the force shattered the bone. She drew the katana out on it curved edge then rolled to the left and stood at a ready. The third shadow mastiff backed down and ready to leap at Guinevere. The first shadow mastiff limped to the side of the ring and turned, it barred it teeth and growled at Guinevere. The second hound howled and swayed, as it turned it collapsed into a heap on the ground whimpering. The third shadow mastiff stayed at a ready. Guinevere ran at the wounded shadow mastiff and leaped over it, spreading her wings she swooped down into the face of the creature and slashed the back of its neck, hitting its spine it collapsed, she flipped over dissipating her wings, she flung her kukri at the last dog, before it could react it slammed into its front hip between the neck and bone. It stumbled back wards and yelped. Ariel took the opening rushing forward and slamming her kukri right into the top of the shadow mastiff's skull. Its eye's rolled back into its head and it slumped over. Guinevere walked over and pulled the kukris out of the dead animal; she handed Ariel's to her and wiped hers on the shadow mastiff's fur.

"You did very well. I'm impressed, how did you get those wings?" Ariel said wiping her katana and kukri of.

"Well if I tell you, you have to keep it to your self understand?"

"Of course what ever you're secret is it is safe with me." Ariel said in a clam voice as she walked over to her discarded amour and she sheathed her weapons, picking up her weapons she tied the seethes around her waist and started to lift her armor over her head "well out with it"

"Um well I'm a Drow shadow demon cross breed, my mother was raped so I was the result."

"That's not too bad but as you wish it will never leave these lips, and don't worry I'm here because I'm the child of the great dragon Io Gaman Riato. He had been bread by a great mage Margaret."

"Really wow that like my life almost, how many people know?"

"Um well you and my mother"

"oh ok well its getting pretty early so I should probably go back to sleep."

"yah well your right what level are you in fighting?"

"um I'm in tenth level blade training and third level archery."

"really wow I've got tenth level blade work I'll see you there, good night."

"night" with the last parting words Ariel walked away in the opposite from Guinevere's dorm. She decided to try to go through the shadows as Ariel said. She closed her eyes and began to open a portal, she opened her eyes witch were glowing blood red, she gripped the side of the portal and stepped through. The other side was a mockery of the plane, in the shadow realm the shadows were real and their shadows were the solid objects of the other plain. Guinevere started to walk and found she walked really quickly, in about one minuet she had reached her dorm and she was about to collapse from exhaustion, she ripped through the plane again and walked out. Guinevere was so tired but she managed to fly up to her room and collapse onto her sleeping mat.


	3. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two**

The early bird may get the worm but, the second mouse gets the cheese

— A friend

The next morning went by quickly, Guinevere slept through her magic theory class and half of Geography of the Planes. In her Draconic class Guinevere rushed through her test and left early. Next she had study hall; her only problem was she was basically sleep walking from class to class. Guinevere decided to sleep through her study hall and lunch, she wasn't very hungry any way and if she didn't get any sleep then she would die in combat training. As Guinevere was going across the green to her dorm she was stopped by her Draconic teacher. He was a celestial blooded gnome, his wings were always held behind him. He boasted a pair of short pants and a short thin blade at his side. Over his left shoulder in between his wings he had a sack full of papyrus scrolls.

"You didn't do to well on this test nor on any of the tests we have had this trimester, are you doing alright?"

Guinevere's mind was still in a haze and she really didn't need her teacher lecturing her on how she was failing. Guinevere closed her eyes and opened her mouth to respond; instead she concentrated on the shadows. Thin tendrils shot from her left hand and knocked her teacher back. Then she formed wings on her back and flew the rest of the way to her dorm, she landed on her balcony. Guinevere stumbled onto her sleeping mat and fell asleep almost instantly.

Guinevere was in a heavy dreamless sleep when a hand on her shoulder jolted her awake. She shot up, garbed the hand, twisted the thumb away from the body and squeezed with her thumb just above the bone. There was a yelp of pain and the woman who had awoken Guinevere fell to the ground next to her lap. Guinevere flipped a knife out and held it against the woman's throat.

"Don't move or I'll relieve you of your breath," Guinevere hissed.

"Wait, Gwen it's me Ariel, let me live please." Ariel pleaded.

"Oh, sorry" Guinevere responded with surprise, She removed her hand from Ariel's wrist and the knife from her throat. Gwen sat up on her mat and rubbed her eyes. "Why are you here?"

"I watched you spaz on your teacher and followed you to your dorm, I wanted to ask if you wanted to hang for lunch but you crashed, so I went to my classes waited for the end of lunch and came to make sure you had gotten up for class. Sorry if I scared you, but we have a combat class to get to." Ariel stood up and walked to the other side of the room, picking up a black silk shirt she threw it at Gwen, "put that on and hurry or we'll be late." Ariel walked out of the room, and building. She stood under Gwen's window. After a few minuets Guinevere jumped off her balcony and landed next to Ariel.

"Let's go," she said in a cheery voice. As they neared the training facility there was a loud bang from inside. They ran through the large double doors, inside all of the students were standing against the walls. In the middle a student, his clothes in sheds around him, was floating about five feet off the ground. He was bleeding from his eyes, nose, and ears. The blood was flowing in rivets down his body and dripping into a pool on the floor.

"By St.Cuthbert!" Ariel whispered as Guinevere and Ariel were stopped dead in their tracks.

"Not By Cuthbert but by the Lord of the Shadows, Surit." A cruel voice resonated from the boy floating in the middle of the room. "I see you are well Guinevere, the blood of this youth has lent me sight and hearing. Even now I plan my strike. You are shaping into a most beautiful woman my child. But fret not for soon you join me as lover to the lord of the first.

As Guinevere heard the voice her hand shot up to her mouth and she began to murmur to her self. "No, no, no this can't be you . . . you're dead" she gasped to her self "My father killed you, your dead, no!!" she screamed.

"See that's what you all though but god were you wrong. See after my minions knocked you father out I came in and had my fun, I was first and you are definitely my daughter, I can see it in you power, you are destined for great things." As the voice resonated the body floated to the ground and began to walk towards Guinevere who had fallen on her knees, clutching her ears and crying. "Worry not my child, you will be my empress and we will progressively take hell for us and or children." As the body approached Ariel grabbed a katana from the wall and took an attack stance.

"Come one step closer and I sever your arms demon," she sneered.

"Foolish child, go ahead and slice this dying body to pieces if you wish. It means nothing to me." As the voice resonated it opened his arms in a mockery of a peace offering.

"No, Ariel don't it's . . . it's not worth the effort of driving your sword." Guinevere chocked on her own words as she grabbed Ariel's arm and pulled herself up. "Let, let me do something." She gasped finally getting her balance.

"You can't hardly stand let me take care of him." She whispered back. As the two of them were talking the body had moved and come to a stop about five feet away.

"I won't be standing for long don't worry." Guinevere closed her eyes and her wins appeared on her back. Her ethereal claws grew from her hands and a third eye began to form on her for head. Opening her eyes but leaving the new one closed she took a step forward. "Father!!" She screamed at the body. "If you truly want me than you will have to take me dead!!" As the last of her voice echoed off the walls the boys body fell to the ground. Then in spasms that shook his entire body the naked and bleeding boy's body began to rip apart. First a gash along his left side, then one on his leg, next one on his back leading from the top of the neck down to his butt. Finally in the most violent of the spasms, his body ripped open right down the front, from the chin to the genitals. Most of the students surrounding the ring had turned away and a few of the weaker one had vomited. Neither Ariel of Guinevere had wavered. There was a pool of blood with a torn human carcass in the center. A dark blood soaked humanoid was rising from the pool. His sleek skin and shiny black hair glistened wet with blood. He like the body of his predecessor was wearing nothing and had amazing muscle structure and tone. On his back he boasted a set of leather black wings and on his for head were two small horns. As the last of the incubus' body emerged he took a step out of the pool and stretched his wings.

"If you will only come into my arms in death then my pet here will make it so!" the voice resonated in a torrent of angry speech that destroyed all other sound. "Now go my incubus and destroy her." The creature took to the sky stretching its wings. Guinevere kicked off the ground and rushed after him. The incubus easily dodged her rush and dove for the ground. Landing with extreme grace he turned his back on Guinevere and started to remove a long sword from the wall. Infuriated by the demon's apparent stupidity she dove straight for him. In the split second it took Guinevere to clear half the room the incubus flipped around and readied for the attack. Guinevere did not slow her dive. As Guinevere slammed into the incubus a cloud of dust swirled up from the force of the air and there was the resonating sound of nails on a black board. Almost all of the students dropped to their knees clutching their ears. Ariel dropped the katana and clutched her ears but remained standing. As the dust cleared and the noise subsided it was clear who was wining. The incubus was on the defensive, his sword notched and bent in many places. Guinevere was delivering blow after blow, with her ethereal claws. Most were blacked but a few had managed to get through. The most noticeable of the demon's wounds was a large gash extending from under his left nipple to his bellybutton. It wasn't particularly deep but it was bleeding none the less. As the continued to exchange blows people started to move off the walls and surround the fight, a few ran out to get a teacher.

As the demon and Guinevere traded blows, neither could seem to break the others' guard. After what seemed an eternity to the onlookers, there was a sickening crack. With the force of a counter blow Guinevere had snapped the sword and arm of the incubus. The creature screamed and stumbled backwards. Guinevere's ethereal claws dissipated and a tendril of shadow, shot from her left hand and wrapped around a spiked chain on the far wall. The tendril shot back taking the chain with it. As it slammed into Guinevere's hand, scratching her arm and face, the wounds healed within seconds. Grabbing the other handle on the chain she started to swing one side in a slow arcing circle. "It was foolish to believe you could even try at my life." She sneered, her eyes reverberating with anger. "I want you and your dammed soul to go home to my fucked up father and tell him I will never willingly stand within a mile of his putrid and grotesque body." With the final taunt she leaped graceful into the air and danced in a fluid circle around him, and then with in human speed she brought the chain down and through the demons genitals. Then she again brought the chain down on his left knee severing it from the body. Is its' last defiant moment the incubus used the last of its magick and shattered the chain. Guinevere's eyes grew in rage and a thin tendril of shadow about a foot long, an inch at the base appeared. The further it moved from her hand the thinner it became. She thought on its existence for a moment as the scared incubus quivered at her feet. After her moment of contemplation she slammed it through the creatures head in between the eyes. As its body tensed and went limp she ripped the creatures left thumb off and slipped into her left wing. Guinevere turned to face the crowd as it backed against the wall. Guinevere giggled maniacally and faced them. Suddenly the door burst open, a tall gold half dragon, wearing half plate. He held a huge ax in his right hand and a small disk in his right.

"Guinevere don't move." He said in a stern voice. "I would hate to dismember one of our students."

"I see, so you think you could actually beat me?" she said calmly. "Ha, you are a most amusing lizard. How about you watch this shit face!" ending her statement in a scream. She lunged at the half dragon. He held up his left hand and whispered a few words. The disk glowed green for a second and a line of green light shot at Guinevere it hit her third eye. The light fluctuated and her eye began to open. Suddenly there was a flash of darkness. Worse than the blackest night, it was like being blind. Most of the students screamed as ever thing went dark and many ran out. After a few minuets the dark subsided. At the entrance of the dojo stood the half dragon and Ariel. In the center of the room, a blood splattered Guinevere her eyes rolled back in her head and two carcasses. Along the walls a few students were left, most clutching one another but a few stood defiantly. Every one in the room looked at each other for about three minuets, finally regaining her sanity Ariel rushed to Guinevere's side.

"Are any of you left healers?" she called to the few students left.

"I am" said one boy. He wore pants and no shirt. His head was bald and his body covered in tattoos. He walked quickly to Guinevere, leaning down he placed his right hand on her sternum in between her breasts and the other rested lightly above it under the neck. "Well she is breathing," he said after a short time, "but it's very shallow, I will need some ash and devil weed if I'm going to help her.

"No," said the half dragon, "you will not get a drug from this, nice try though."

"But I . . . fine look um instead I will need a yew log, a knife, and shadow grass. Hurry we may run out of time." As the boy finished he started felling Guinevere's neck for factures. After finding nothing he tilted her head back pulled out his knife. Setting it aside he grabbed one of Guinevere's hands and squeezed it.

"Is she going to be alright?" Ariel asked worried.

"I hope but her body isn't breathing well enough on its own. Were going to have to do it for her until I can jumpstart her." As he finished speaking he pushed Guinevere's chin um and pinched her nose. Leaning over he placed his mouth on hers her exhaled quickly, raising his head he did the same. Then he spoke "I'm going to need you to do this so I can get set up, just do as I did, pinch the nose raise the chin and breathing twice wait a bit and do it again, got that?"

"Um . . . yah, sure." Ariel's face was flushed so she started quickly.

"Also don't breath to long or hard." The boy removed some vials from his belt pouch. Finally he closed his eyes and began to chant.

A girl burst in breathing hard, she rushed over to Guinevere, Ariel, and the boy. "Here the yew log and shadow grass." She said in between gasps of breaths. "Am I needed?" she asked.

Ariel stopped breathing for Guinevere for one second to speak, "no but thank you get to your next class and hurry your late." As the girl hurried out Ariel went back to helping Guinevere.

The boy's chanting got softer until it was barley audible, as he neared completion a disk about a foot in diameter appeared in front of him. It was an intricately carved opal disk, showing a long dragon chasing a winged rabbit in a circle. Finally he opened his eyes and took one of the vials, he uncorked it and poured it onto the disk, the blood from the vial hit the disk and a green light began to radiate from the disk. Taking his knife he dipped it into the green light and tapped it on the yew log. The center of the yew log fell away and clattered to the floor. "You can stop now in a now moments she will be breathing on her own." He said in a calm voice. Ariel pulled away and took Guinevere's left hand in hers. The boy took the shadow grass and pushed it into the yew log. Placing the yew log and shadow grass, with one opening up and one down, on the disk he opened another vial. He poured the oil from it on the log. As the oil slid down and hit the disk the green light engulfed the log and became brighter. Finally the boy took some dust and sprinkled it on his tongue. Exhaling hard a line of fire shot from his mouth and engulfed the log. The fire turned blood red and shot up into a meter column. The fire produced no heat and it died quickly. As the last of the embers burned out the green light had subsided and about two cups of a dark purple dust was left. The boy took his knife and slipped about five grams onto the end. He took it and tilting Guinevere's head back he slipped it into her mouth. With in seconds she started coughing. Guinevere slowly opened her eyes and pushed herself up. Blinking she looked half dazed around the room. Ariel threw herself onto Guinevere giving her a huge hug.

"What? . . . What's going on, where am I?" Guinevere said in confusion.

"You became a demon creature for a time; it was really an amazing display of power, but no control." The boy said, "Then Tak'nila shot you with a powerful enchantment. You fell unconscious and almost died. We saved you this woman and my self. It wasn't very difficult but Tak'nila didn't help much, he wouldn't allow me to get a hold of devil weed, it would have gone much faster." As he had been speaking he packed up his extra supplies, and sheathed his knife.

"Wait, who are you? And who is Tak'nila?" Guinevere said, raising her hand to stop the boy.

"Me? My name is Je'haan, and Tak'nila is that half dragon standing over there." He said pointing towards the doors.

Guinevere shot up suddenly. "You she said." Then she swayed a bit. Clutching Ariel's shoulder for support, "My head" she gasped.

"Sit down for Cuthbert's sake. You hardly have any strength left, rest a bit first." Ariel said forcing Guinevere onto the floor.

"If I could break up this little worry fest we need to leave now, so the clean up crews can do their jobs. Also Guinevere we need all parts of the demon, so you have to return that thumb you took." Tak'nila said with contempt. He walked over to Guinevere, Je'haan and Ariel. "Let's get going."

"We aren't going anywhere until Guine," Ariel started but Guinevere broke in.

"Fine but you aren't getting the thumb back bitch." She snapped, she began to push herself up. Je'haan helped her to her feat, and began to lead her out.

Tak'nila, taken aback by Guinevere's response, slapped her as she went by. The force knocked her a meter and she fell hard. "Never speak to me like that again, now get out you demon whore.

Guinevere's anger swelled and her wings materialized. With one swift flap she was standing upright. In her left hand a long spiked chain made of the shadows, appeared. "Do you want to die right now lizard? Or do I need to make you beg for death!" Her eyes glowed their blood red and her muscles tensed.

With a sudden thump Guinevere fell to the ground, Ariel at hit her with the butt of her katana. Sheathing her katana in silence she stooped down and hoisted Guinevere over she shoulder. "I have no doubt in my mind that your life would have been taken now if you'll excuse Je'haan and my self we're leaving." With that she walked out the door with Je'haan at her heals.


End file.
